New ‘The Wolverine’ Pic: Hugh Jackman Is on the Samurai Path

'The Wolverine' is poised to set Hugh Jackman back on the path as the loner X-Men Logan before the actor reprises the same role in the now Bryan Singer-directed 'X-Men: Days of Future Past.' But this is not gonna be like 'Origins,' folks. Yes, the film takes place in Japan, but aside from that, James Mangold has revealed this next chapter in the Wolverine saga will have our hero undergo more personal struggles as he traverses through this new world of the samurai.

To help you imagine this new Wolverine, a pic has been released from the film, starring our buddy once again shirtless and ready to tear his enemies to shreds.

'The Wolverine' takes place years after the events of 'X-Men: The Last Stand,' where, if you'll recall, Jean Grey became the Phoenix and unleashed her terrifying power on the world. However, 'The Wolverine' is not a sequel. "It was only to my advantage to set it after the 'X-Men' films because the X-Men had effectively ended at that point,"director James Mangold said in an interview with EW, which also released the new still. "A lot of the key characters had died. ... I can find a Logan who is living separate from the world. He is no longer a member of some superhero team."

He also gave us more of an incite into this new character we'll see in 'The Wolverine,' who is more tormented than he was back in 'X-Men Origins':

I felt it was really important to find Logan at a moment where he was stripped clean of his duties to the X-Men, his other allegiances, and even stripped clean of his own sense of purpose. I was fascinated with the idea of portraying Logan as a ronin – the definition of which is a samurai without a master, without a purpose. Kind of a soldier who is cut loose. War is over. What does he do? What does he face? What does he believe anymore? Who are his friends? What is his reason for being here anymore? I think those questions are especially interesting when you’re dealing with a character who is essentially immortal.

'The Wolverine' hits theaters July 26, and if you're aching for more intel on the movie, check out the full interview with James Mangold over at EW. In the mean time, the brand-new pic from 'The Wolverine' featuring Hugh Jackman can be seen below.